Store basket and carriage



Aug. 16, 1949. o. E. WATSON 2,479,530

STORE BASKET AND CARRIAGE Filed Sept. 27, 1946 isI .|9'--|',|I

FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3'.

INVENTOR ORLA E. WATSON BY? TTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE! Orla E. Watson, Kansas City, Mo. Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,777

been used for carrying store baskets and when not in use it was necessary to remove the baskets to be stacked in a pile and .the carriages folded to save floor space.

An object of the present invention is to provide wheeled carriages that will telescope one within the other when being wheeled to save floor space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide telescoping baskets that will telescope in a horizontal sliding direction when the baskets are in their normal upright wheeled positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide store wheeled carriages with baskets thereon and the carriages and baskets telescoping together to save floor space without the removal of the baskets from the carriages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a basket with a hinged end-gate therein to permit a like basket to telescope therethrough.

With these and other objects in view the inven-- tion further consists of novel features of construction and arrangements of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in the specification and more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view in elevation of the carriage with a basket thereon and a like carriage illustrated in dotted lines telescoped within the aforementioned carriage.

Figure .2 is a rear end view in elevation illustrating the construction of the carriage and a basket resting on the upper supporting bracket.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal view in elevation illustrating a carriage with upper and lower baskets thereon and a like carriage and baskets shown in dotted lines telescoping into the first mentioned carriage and baskets.

The carriage handle 4 is preferably a round member spacing apart vertical members 5 a sufficient distance to receive a telescoping basket 5. The telescoping basket 6 is supported on two longitudinal members 1 and side .bars 8. The side bars 8 extend from the vertical side members 5 to end bar 9 where they are spaced at a lesser distance than between bars 5 with the bars 8 tapering for a telescoping action. The longi tudinal members 1 are spaced apart and slope from end bar 9 downwardly to a cross member In, the member I extending from one vertical side member to the opposite vertical side member 5. A lower telescoping basket ll preferably 19 Claims. (Cl. 280-47) identical with basket 6 is supported on longitudinal bars l2, side members l3, end member l4 and cross member l5. The members l2, l3, l4 and I5 being substantially identical with members 1, 8, 9' and I0 respectively and constitute the lower supporting means for basket I l.

A base support comprises side bars l6 extending from vertical side members 5, an end cross bar member l1 and swivel casters (mobile support) l8. Rear rollers is are fulcrumed on stud shafts 20 secured in vertical side members 5, the casters I'8 being spaced at a narrower distance than the rear rollers IS with the bars l5 taper ing to the shorter cross bar member IT for telescopic action.

A like carriage with baskets is illustrated in dotted lines telescoping into the carriage and baskets as previously described and has the same numerals applied thereto for like reference.

The basket 5- is made of perforated sheet material or any ordinary woven material that is suitable for baskets and consists of longitudinal sides 2|, bottom 22, end 23, and end-gate 24 hinged at 25. The end 23 is smaller than endgate 24 with the sides 2! and .bottom 22 tapering from the end gate 24 to the end 23 to permit a like basket having the end 23 thereof pass through the end-gate 24 and telescope within the basket 6. Basket H is provided with sides 26, bottom 21, small end 28, and end-gate 28 which are substantially identical with the members 2|, 22, 23, 24 and 25respectively of basket 5.

Basket 6 rests on the side bars I and tapers to fit between bars 8 and 9 and is held in place by stop lugs 30 secured to side vertical members 5.

Basket I l is supported on bars l2 and fits between bars I3 and I4 and is held in place by stop lugs 3| secured to side vertical members 5.

When one portable carriage with baskets telescopes into a like carriage with baskets the base crossbar member H of one carriage moves between base bars Hi to the stop lugs 32 which is spaced to prevent the rear wheels I 9 from striking each other. The bars l5 when telescoped together are also held in place by lifting lugs 33 which are provided to cause the telescoped portable carriage to be moved and lifted together.

In the operation a carriage is provided with basket 6 resting on the upper support 1, 8, 9 and I0 and basket H resting upon the lower support i 2, l3 l4 and I5, the baskets being held in position by stop lugs 30 and 3| respectively. The carriage can be'moved about the floor with ease by a shopper controlling it with the handle to place the desired items within the baskets and the carriage is pushed to the cashier's desk where the items are removed for sacking. The carriage is then pushed to one side with the baskets remaining thereon. Another shopper with a like carriage and baskets makes the desired purchases and after sacking the items from the baskets the like carriage with baskets is pushed and. telescoped within the first carriage with baskets. It is quite obvious that the additional floor space required by the second carriage and baskets is very little more than the diameter of the rear wheels and the space therebetween, and that if a quantity of carriages with their'baskets are tapered asa means to be telescoped together the floor space occupied would be the floor area of one carriage plus the substantial floor area between the rear wheels of the quantity.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1; A store carriage comprising a pair of approximately uprigh't side members, means interconnecting said side members and spacing them apart, carriage-supporting wheels mounted on said approximately upright side members, an

' article-supporting structure of less width than the space between said approximately upright side members and secured between said approximately upright side members and projecting forwardly from said approximately upright sidc members and being slightly inclined to the horizontal, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another. in a-series of carriages of like construction.

2. A store carriage comprising a pair of approximately upright side members, means inter- 5 bers and secured to and between said approximately upright side members above said base support and projecting forwardly from said approximately upright side members and being slightly inclined to the horizontal, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

3. A store carriage comprising a pair of approximately upright side members, spacing means joined to said side members, wheels supporting said upright side members, a base support secured between said upright side members and tapered forwardly therefrom and having a caster at its forward end, a basket supported from said upright side members above said base support and extending forwardly of said upright side members, said basket having its sides tapered in a forward direction and having its rear end open,

by virtue of all of which one carriage will nestwithin another in a series of carriages of like construction.

4. A store carriage comprising a pair of approximately upright side members, a member connected to said side members and spacing them apart near the top, another member connected to said side members and spacing them apart near the bottom, basket-supporting means secured t said upright side members and having sides which taper forwardly and in a direction slightly inclined to the horizontal in order that the basketsl pporting means of one carriage can overlap that of an adjacent carriage, and a similarly tapered basket carried on said basket-supporting means and having an open end adjacent said side members, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

5. A store carriage comprising a, pair of upright side members, a forwardly tapered basket support secured to and projecting from said side members and held in a position to telescope with the basket support of an adjacent carriage of like construction, a handle connecting said side members together, a base support secured to said upright side members and tapered forwardly therefrom and having a mobile support at its forward end, and supporting wheels on said upright side members, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

6. A store carriage which includes a pair of upright side members spaced apart, means sustaining said members in spaced-apart relation, side bars .being secured to said upright side members and extended forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined toward one another, a connectin member between the forward ends of said side bars, the carriage further including supporting rollers mounted on said upright side members, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

7. A portable carriage which includes a pair of approximately vertical bars, a member comprising a front cross bar and side bars extending rearwardly from said front cross bar, said side bars being spaced farther apart at the rear than at the front cross bar and connected to said vertical bars at the lower part thereof, a receptacle, means attached to said vertical bars above said member for supporting said receptacle in front of said approximately vertical bars and in part between the same, the front of said receptacle being narrower than the rear thereof, the sides and bottom of said receptacle converging from the rear end toward the front end, the bottom of said receptacle being inclined to the horizontal to enable the receptacle to telescope into a like receptacle on an adjacent carriage of like construction, an end gate, means mounting said end gate along the topat the rear of said receptacle and normally closing the rear end of said receptacle, the top of said receptacle being open for the reception of merchandise, a pair of spaced casters mounted on said member at the front thereof and supporting the front of the carriage, and a pair of spaced wheels mounted on said approximately vertical bars and supporting the rear of said carriage, said rear wheels being spaced farther apart than said casters, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

8. A basket carriage comprising a wheeled frame having upright spaced side frame members, means sustaining said members in spaced relation, side bars secured to each of said upright side members and extending forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined towards one another, connecting means between the forward end portions of said side bars, said side bars having spaced downwardly extending members for elevating the front ends of the side bars from a supporting surface, and supporting rollers for said carriage connected with the lower end portions of said side frame members, by virtue. of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

9. A basket carriage comprising a wheeled frame having upright spaced side frame members, spaced apart means sustaining said members in spaced apart relation, side bars secured to the lower end portions of each of said upright side members and extending forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined towards one another, a transverse member arranged between the forward end portions of said side bars, said transverse member being fixed to upright parts, said parts nomally spacing the front ends of the side bars from a supporting surface, supporting rollers for said carriage connected with the lower end portions of said side frame members and spaced outwardly of said transverse member, and basket supporting members each connected at one end portion with each of said side frames and extending forwardly from the same, said basket supporting members and side bars being so constructed and arranged as to permit one carriage to nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

10. A basket carriage comprising a wheeled frame having upright spaced side frame members, means sustaining said members in spaced relation, main supporting rollers for said carriage connected with the lower end portions of said side frame members, a side bar element secured to each of said upright side frame members and extended forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined towards one another and inclined from the horizontal, and spaced depending members connected with the end portions of said side bars and terminating in floor engaging means for supporting the front end portion of the assembly and spacing the same from a supporting surface, said depending members being positioned inward of the main supporting rollers.

11. A basket carriage comprising a wheeled frame having upright spaced side frame members, means sustaining said side frame members in spaced relation, main supporting rollers for said carriage connected with the lower end portions of said side frame members, a side bar element secured to each of said upright side frame members and extending forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined towards one another, spaced depending members connected with the end portions of the side bars and terminating in floor engaging meansv for supporting the front end portion of the assembly and spacing the same from a supporting surface, said depending members being positioned inward of the main supporting rollers, and a forwardly extending basket supporting member connected to each of the side frame members above said side bars and extending forwardly of the side frame members for supporting baskets thereon for movement to partial telescopic position.

12. A store carriage which includes a pair of'upright side members spaced apart, means sustaining said members in spaced apart relation, side bars being secured to said upright side members and extended forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined toward one another and slightly inclined from the horizontal, a connecting member between the forward ends of said side bars, the carriage further including supporting rollers mounted on said upright side members, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

13. A store carriage which includes a pair of upright side members spaced apart, means sustaining side members in spaced apart relation, side bars being secured to said upright side members and extended forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined toward one another and slightly inclined from the horizontal, a connecting member between the forward ends of said side bars, the carriage further including supporting rollers mounted on said upright side members, by virtue of all of which one carriage will nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction, and elements secured to the upright side members above the side bars for detachably supporting association with a receptacle structure.

14. A basket carriage comprising a wheeled frame having upright spaced side frame members, means sustaining said members in spaced relation, side bar secured to the lower end portions of each of said upright side members and extending forwardly from the same and being forwardly inclined towards one another, a connecting structure between the forward ends of depending means for spacing the same and the front end of the side frame members from a supporting surface, supporting rollers for said carriage connected with the lower end portions of said side frames and spaced outwardly of said depending means, and basket supporting members each connected at one end portion with the inner face of each side frame member and extending forwardly from the same, said basket supporting members and side bars being so constructed and arranged as to permit one carriage to nest within another in a series of carriages of like construction.

15. A basket carriage comprising a wheel supported frame having an approximately upright portion and a forwardly extended portion, said forwardly extended portion being forwardly tapered and said frame at the upright portion to the rear of the forwardly extended portion being open, said forwardly extended portion being of a width such as to pass through the open portion of the upright frame of a carriage of like construction, by virtue of all of which one carriage may be nested into another carriage of like construction.

16. A basket carriage comprising a wheel supported frame having an approximately upright portion and a forwardly extended portion, said forwardly extended portion being forwardly tapered and said frame at the upright portion to the rear of the forwardly extended portion being open, said forwardly extended portion being of a width such as to pass through the open portion of the upright frame of a carriage of like construction, by virtue of all of which one carriage may be nested into another carriage of like construction, and a basket mounted on said frame and having provision enabling it to nest within a basket of like construction on a carriage of like construction.

17. A basket carriage comprising a wheel supported frame having an approximately upright portion and a forwardly extended portion, said forwardly extended portion being forwardly tapered and said frame at the upright portion to the rear of the forwardly extended portion being open, said forwardly extended portion being of a width such as to pass through the open portion of the upright frame of a carriage of like construction, by virtue of all of which one car-.

said side bars, said connecting structure having r 7 riage may be nested into another carriage oi like construction, and a basket mounted on said frame and being forwardly tapered and having an open rear end by virtue of which a basket of one carriage will nest within the basket of another carriage of like construction while the carriages are nested together.

18. A basket having a bottom, side walls and an end wall,'the top and the other end of the basket being open, said side walls tapering toward. said end wall and toward each other, by virtue of which one basket may be telescoped into another basket of like construction via the open end of the same.

19. A basket having a bottom, side walls and an end wall, the top and the other end of the basket being open, said side walls tapering toward said end wall and toward each other, and a forwardly swinging gate for the open end of the 8 basket by virtue of which one basket may be telescoped into another basket of like construction via the open end of the same.

ORLA E. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 616,443 Anderson Dec. 27, 1898 1,513,469 Robinson Oct. 28, 1924 15 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 158,262 Germany Feb. 24, 1905 357,914 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1931 

